suspensions from school. Over the past
three years, we’ve had zero suspensions
and only 44 discipline referrals. Further,
we’ve had only one incident of fighting.
A collaborative atmosphere of
mutual respect and problem solving
dominates the school climate. In his
New York Times article on homelessness,
Michael Winerip (2011) described Fern
Creek as “a sanctuary for children.” Fern
Creek has become a place where the
phrase school family actually describes
what happens here.
School Family Rituals
Children who are fortunate enough to
grow up in families in which dinner
conversation is the norm and a bedtime
story tops off the night understand the
feeling of having routines and rituals
as part of everyday life. Our students
who live in unstable, disadvantaged
homes often know only unpredictability
and chaos. School family rituals are a
vital component in building trust and
relationships with students who put up
emotional roadblocks, such as withdrawing or acting out, that can interfere
with learning.
One of the rituals embedded in Fern
Creek’s school culture is the monthly
school family assembly. Assemblies are a
time for the entire student body to come
together as we welcome new students,
celebrate birthdays, sing, reinforce the
character education trait of the month,
and inspire student achievement by
recognizing students’ recent academic
efforts. Students come on stage to make
announcements about positive things
going on in their lives. By celebrating
successes and uniting with one another
as a school family, students feel connected to the school and to one another.
Another ritual is the morning
greeting. Staff members enter each bus
and greet the students with, “Good
morning, Fern Creek Scholars!” They
review the day’s agenda and then
dismiss students according to morning
arrival procedures. This includes
walking in a quiet, single-file line and
receiving greetings from other staff
members, including the principal,
at stopping points along the way to
breakfast. Staff members are strategically
located so they can greet students who
arrive as walkers, day-care van riders, or
car riders. We also consistently remind
students that “you’re safe, and you can
handle this,” which reassures them that
we care.
Another established ritual that helps
break down barriers between home
and school is involving parents. Fern
Creek holds family nights throughout
the year to enable teachers, parents,
and students to learn and have fun
together. At math night, students and
Fern Creek has
become a place
where the phrase
school family actually
describes what
happens here.
parents play a variety of math-enhanced
games; at reading night, students and
parents engage in book making, storytelling, and literature exploration; and at
science night, families complete scientific experiments.
In addition, Fern Creek hosts a community outreach night. Faculty travel to
a neighborhood recreation center near
students’ homes and to the Coalition for
the Homeless to engage students and
parents in educational activities. This
enables parents without transportation
to participate in their child’s school life.
To encourage attendance at family
nights, we offer meals and transportation, as well as door prizes and educational “take home” materials, such as
free books, math games, and reading
and math fluency practice cards.
Rock 2: Increased Community
Involvement
When we looked at our student population, we saw that many students came
from families with limited financial
resources and restricted education and
world experiences. Basic needs such
as food, clothing, and school supplies
were often unavailable. Experiences
that enable students to dream about the
future and commit to school success
were in short supply.
Addressing these needs was beyond
the scope of the typical school budget
and required us to form partnerships
with community agencies and businesses. Knowing that communicating
with community partners is key to
successful sustained partnerships,
Fern Creek has a dedicated, full-time
community coordinator to spearhead
and maintain all community-based
programs.
Important Partnerships
Although all partnerships within the
community are important to student
success, some partners go above and
beyond. Rollins College, a private liberal
arts college located five miles from Fern
Creek, is one such partner. During any
given week, approximately 100 Rollins
students and faculty are involved at
Fern Creek in the mentoring program,
service days, and class tutoring projects.
In addition, Rollins faculty members
collaborate with Fern Creek teachers to
tackle academic tasks that our students
are having difficulty with. For example,
one Rollins professor works with a 4th
grade teacher to teach students the
writing process.
Moreover, every year, the college
hosts all Fern Creek students for a
college awareness day on its campus.
The program, aptly named Pathways to
College, gives our students a firsthand
look into a possible future as a college
student and into the opportunities that
path might provide.
Another longstanding partnership
is with Sea World, which welcomes all